Andy Serkis Becomes Caesar in War for the Planet of the Apes Preview

20th Century Fox have released a new clip promoting War for the Planet of the Apes that shows Andy Serkis preparing to play Caesar in a before and after video courtesy of Weta Digital transformation. The third installment of the trilogy is still a few weeks a way, but critics and fans who have seen the movie through early screenings are heaping praise upon Matt Reeve's War for the Planet of the Apes. Some are even claiming that it's the best movie out of the trilogy while also praising the acting chops of Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis.

In addition to the acclaim for the acting and the movie overall, the special effects have also been receiving accolades. Weta Digital, founded by Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, and Jaime Selkirk in New Zealand is behind the jaw dropping special effects and 20th Century Fox has released a video detailing Andy Serkis' transformation into Caesar. The studio released a short statement about Weta Digital, speaking of their long relationship. Read the statement below.

"Over the course of three films, Weta Digital has mastered the art of translating human actors to apes. The apes level of sentience has developed throughout each film and so too have Weta Digital's techniques and toolsets. Developing some of the most advanced techniques in the industry Weta artists employ these tools to create exceptional CG characters."

The video comes to us via 20th Century Fox's official YouTube channel and it is a must see for any fans of War for the Planet of the Apes. Andy Serkis is shown wearing the motion-capture gear and then slowly morphs into Caesar while giving a speech about a better world and tolerance. It's really no wonder why Woody Harrelson has called Serkis the best actor that he's ever worked with as the speech is intense in a way that you almost don't notice the transformation happening before your eyes.

Andy Serkis has been out promoting War for the Planet of the Apes and he has said that the final installment in the trilogy will see a change in Caesar. The movie is ultimately about empathy, but Serkis has said that something happens in the beginning of the movie that may shake Caesar's empathy for humanity, going as far as to say that Caesar "will not be able to feel sympathy for human beings again." The actor went on to say that Caesar's hatred for the human race grows throughout the movie.

In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet. War for the Planet of the Apes opens in theaters on July 14th, 2017 and in the meantime you can check out the Caesar transformation video below.